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Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya speaks to the UN General Assembly on March 27.
Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya speaks to the UN General Assembly on March 27.

Live Blog: UN Backs Ukraine Integrity

Final Summary For March 27

-- The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution that affirms Ukraine's territorial integrity.

-- The IMF has announced "a staff-level agreement" with Kyiv on assistance of $14 billion-$18 billion in conjunction with a reform program that will "unlock" up to $27 billion over the next two years, pending final approval next month. Tthe U.S. Congress has also passed an aid bill for Ukraine.

-- Ex-PM Yulia Tymoshenko has announced plans to run for president.

-- Members of the Right Sector have been holding a demonstration outside the Ukrainian parliament building to vent their anger at the killing of prominent member Oleksander Muzychko earlier in the week.

-- Six Ukrainian military officers detained by pro-Russian troops in Crimea have been released, including Colonel Yuliy Mamchur, but five others are still being held captive.

-- Anonymous sources quoted by CNN say U.S. intelligence "concludes it is more likely than previously thought that Russian forces will enter eastern Ukraine."

-- U.S. President Barack Obama, in the keynote speech of his visit to Europe, chided Russia for its use of "brute force" in Ukraine and vowed that a determined alliance of the United States and Europe will prevail over time.


*NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Kyiv
13:28 25.3.2014
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says two Ukrainian political activists were beaten and another tortured by pro-Russian forces in Crimea. HRW says Andriy Schekun and Anatoliy Kovalsky -- who had gone to Crimea to organize pro-Ukraine rallies ahead of the March 16 referendum on Crimea's status -- were detained, interrogated, and beaten for 11 days before being released. Schekun had also been tortured with electric shocks, was tied up, and often kept naked.

The New York-based watchdog said at least four other activists were detained by pro-Russia militia this month. Three are still missing.

Here's an excerpt from that report:
“These horrendous arbitrary detentions and the allegation of torture in Crimea urgently demand a thorough investigation,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “For weeks irregular armed units have been allowed to run amok on the Crimean peninsula without any apparent legal authority or accountability, and it’s led to insecurity, arbitrary detentions, abductions, and torture.”

The Crimean authorities and Russia as an occupying power should immediately safeguard respect for the law, Human Rights Watch said. They should ensure that no armed individuals or groups are allowed to operate outside of the existing legal framework and that members of any special forces operating on Crimean territory comply with international human rights and humanitarian law.
13:31 25.3.2014
"Responding to the shouts 'Stop! Police! Do not move!' Biliy [Oleksandr Muzychko], who heard this upon his exit from the cafe, attempted to flee, jumped out of the window, rolled over on the ground and while running away opened fire at our riot policemen."

-- Ukrainian Deputy Interior Minister Vladimir Yevdokimov on the death overnight of Right Sector leader Muzychko in a shoot-out with police (as quoted by Reuters)
13:35 25.3.2014
13:38 25.3.2014
Russia is shocked, SHOCKED to hear that Ukraine is considering pulling out of the NPT.
13:42 25.3.2014
13:47 25.3.2014
From our profile of the controversial slain Right Sector leader Oleksandr Muzychko by Daisy Sindelar:
At a time when many Euromaidan organizers were desperate to keep the protest movement peaceful, Muzychko and other Right Sector members, operating under leader Dmytro Yarosh, were committed to a militarized fight against the regime of now-ousted President Viktor Yanukovych.

"The person who holds the Kalashnikov is the person who calls the shots," Muzychko was quoted as saying.

It includes video of Muzychko assaulting a prosecutor and threatening a lawmaker with a rifle.

We already posted this video from a week ago of Myzychko being interviewed by our Ukrainian Service:
Ukrainian Nationalist Speaking To RFE/RL Shortly Before Death
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13:54 25.3.2014
14:13 25.3.2014
Via correspondent @CoalsonR, an obozrevatel.com report says calling for the return of Crimea to Ukraine is punishable by five years in jail under Russian anti-extremism legislation.
14:16 25.3.2014
14:33 25.3.2014

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